Before Barack Obama announced his bid for president, I was a big supporter of him but primarily for his environmental policies. He was the candidate I voted for in the primaries. However, I did not vote for him last night. So what changed my mind about him? There are a few reasons...and many of these reasons are why I have withdrawn my support from most major party candidates (Republican and Democrat). First reason...
Israel/AIPAC:
Obama pledged his allegiance to Israel and AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs Committee). Even though I was raised jewish and have no hatred of jewish people or any religion for that matter, I do not agree with the AIPAC or our current policy with Israel. There is actually a huge jewish anti-AIPAC following. AIPAC is the second most powerful lobbyist group in the United States. The fact that a group that powerful exists soley for the well being of another country makes me outraged. This is a perfect example of how money and power can make policy decisions. Because of AIPAC's lobbyist efforts, we give an annual $4 billion military package to Israel. This is American taxpayers money being used to support the interest of a country that is not their own. This is one of the main reasons why muslim countries do not like this country.
The Bailout:
Obama's support for the bailout was the issue that officially made me withdraw my pledge to vote for him for president. The $800 bailout plan is a huge sum of money that we don't have. It's not like the government has that money. They have to print it or borrow it. The same thing for his support for the economic stimulus package (and a new one he's pushing for). We did not have the money so we had to either borrow or print more. But this helps the middle class you say? Yes it does but only temporarily and it causes more long term problems. Handing out money we don't have to taxpayers and banks is just like putting a bill on a credit card. Yes we can go buy whatever we want for a while but We will keep racking up the balance and eventually have to pay it back when we max it out. Our "max out" is enevitible.
Federal Reserve/Central Bank:
Obama has failed to be critical of the Federal Reserve and the Central Bank. The Federal Reserve is a group of private bankers who benifit from printing money. They print money out of thin air and loan it to banks ON INTEREST! Therefore, they make money out of printing money. The banks then loan us money ON INTEREST! How did the banks "earn" this money? Why do they deserve interest payments? This was one of the primary reasons for the Revolutionary War and our desire to break away from the Central Bank of England. Our current monetary policy results in a public that is eternally in debt and servitude to the banks. This is closely related to the recent bailout and economic stimulus packages when you think about it.
Also:
- Lack of media coverage of 3rd party candidates (you all saw the condradiction...Ron Paul signs everywhere and he won most of the straw polls but barely any media coverage of him)
- His reversal of his commitment to not receive public financing
Don't get me wrong. I like Obama. I am mesmorized when I hear him speak. He will be a great leader and bring people together better than Bush did or McCain would have. I knew either McCain or Obama would win and the 3rd parties had no chance, so I was very happy to hear Obama came out the victor. But when it comes down to it, he is not America's savior, we will still have the same monetary policy, we still have a powerful lobbyist group pushing us into war with Iran and keeping the anti-american flame lit. Even as I supported Obama from the beginning, I have said he is the best candidate for the "Planet" but not the best for America. An Obama presidency will not offer much "Change". The mess we are in has been a long time coming, way before Bush. I believe that until a major party candidate addresses the issues above, we will still be plagued by the same problems. This is why I withdrew my support for Obama and voted Nader (who I agreed with on all issues above). Keep a close eye on the candidates you voted in. Make sure they are fulfilling or trying to fulfill their promises. If they don't, don't vote them back in. Also, always be open to changing your mind on what you believe in. If you've had the same beliefs on the issues all of your life, you're most likely 99% wrong. Never blindly follow a political party and always vote for the candidate based on the issues you believe are most important to this countries well being.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
saving $$$
With the expected economic downturn and credit crunch coming, I thought I'd post so money saving lifestyle changes that I've taken up over the past year.
1. Packing my lunch: I recently started packing my lunch again for work. So far its been a sandwich and some fruit/veggies. This also allows me to reduce my waste to only the paper towel that I wrap my sandwich in and use for a napkin.
2. Do things other than go to bars: When I go to bars, I don't drink a lot but when I get one or two drinks in me, I tend to buy drinks for friends. With decent beers being about $5 a bottle, this can get expensive. There are plenty of alternatives for things to do on the weekends. Anything outside is usually fun and free!
3. Cancel cable/watch tv online: You can watch most shows online now for free. Why spend $80 a month for something, when you can get it for free?
4. Join the library: Haven't done this yet but it hit me like a ton of bricks today. Why am I buying books when I can get them from a library? Less waste, less money. I know I won't be able to find some books in the library but mostly, I should be able to find something or borrow from someone.
5. Shut off unnecessary electronics/lights:
6. Drink water: I usually always get a glass at a restaurant and I drink from water fountains at work. I rarely buy bottled water (mostly because of the plastic waste). I have a water filter so I can drink free tap water at home. I do want to eventually get a reverse osmosis machine.
7. Get rid of land line: I use my cell phone for everything.
I estimate that doing these simple things has saved me about $400 a month. I'm working on being consistent with it. The past month, I've been awesome with it.
Really sounds like I've turned into "captain no fun" huh? Over the past couple years, I've slowly been cutting back on my expenses but it's still important to have fun and treat yourself and others every once and a while though.
1. Packing my lunch: I recently started packing my lunch again for work. So far its been a sandwich and some fruit/veggies. This also allows me to reduce my waste to only the paper towel that I wrap my sandwich in and use for a napkin.
2. Do things other than go to bars: When I go to bars, I don't drink a lot but when I get one or two drinks in me, I tend to buy drinks for friends. With decent beers being about $5 a bottle, this can get expensive. There are plenty of alternatives for things to do on the weekends. Anything outside is usually fun and free!
3. Cancel cable/watch tv online: You can watch most shows online now for free. Why spend $80 a month for something, when you can get it for free?
4. Join the library: Haven't done this yet but it hit me like a ton of bricks today. Why am I buying books when I can get them from a library? Less waste, less money. I know I won't be able to find some books in the library but mostly, I should be able to find something or borrow from someone.
5. Shut off unnecessary electronics/lights:
- I use my cell phone as an alarm clock
- turn off the power strip that my tv and stereo is plugged into when I'm not using it
- keep the lights off in rooms that I'm not in. It's also good to replace all lights with energy saving bulbs
- Don't leave computers on
6. Drink water: I usually always get a glass at a restaurant and I drink from water fountains at work. I rarely buy bottled water (mostly because of the plastic waste). I have a water filter so I can drink free tap water at home. I do want to eventually get a reverse osmosis machine.
7. Get rid of land line: I use my cell phone for everything.
I estimate that doing these simple things has saved me about $400 a month. I'm working on being consistent with it. The past month, I've been awesome with it.
Really sounds like I've turned into "captain no fun" huh? Over the past couple years, I've slowly been cutting back on my expenses but it's still important to have fun and treat yourself and others every once and a while though.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Your party has been hijacked
The collapse of two more major financial institutions today should serve as a reminder of what happens when we live beyond our means. We've become a country in debt. G. W. Bush enacted one of the largest tax cuts in US history and increased federal spending along with it (5 times greater than Bill Clinton - http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=51342 ) to finance an unjust preemptive war and increase spending to "Protect us from the terrorists". McCain will continue those tax cuts and I'm sure keep spending at the same levels with his support of many of Bush's programs (especially defense).
There are two formulas that work:
1. Higher taxes & a bigger government
2. Lower taxes & a smaller government
Lower taxes + bigger government = DEBT!! Horrible idea!
McCain's tax cuts will cost over $3 trillion. If he succeeds in his plan to reduce wasteful spending (getting rid of earmarks), he will cut a measly $20 billion. But McCain says the economy is "strong" so we should be fine!
Obama's tax increase (for the top 1% of earners) will generate an extra $181 billion. We will still be in debt but we'll be able to pay it off faster. Plus, hopefully he'll follow Bill Clinton's spending record. He's no messiah to the problem though.
Here's a recent article on the topic:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26689925
The current republican party has been hijacked by social conservatives and the religious right. It is no longer a party of fiscal conservatives and this is a clear example why religion and politics should not mix. Republican voters missed their chance by not nominating Ron Paul, a true fiscal conservative with a record and political philosophy to back it up. Read about his mission here http://www.campaignforliberty.com/mission/ People think he's nuts but he's predicted our current financial crisis.
So are the terrorists still our greatest threat? I think if anything they've gotten exactly what they wanted. To watch us slowly bleed a financial death in a war that can never be won. Stay informed, vote smart, we're going to need it.
There are two formulas that work:
1. Higher taxes & a bigger government
2. Lower taxes & a smaller government
Lower taxes + bigger government = DEBT!! Horrible idea!
McCain's tax cuts will cost over $3 trillion. If he succeeds in his plan to reduce wasteful spending (getting rid of earmarks), he will cut a measly $20 billion. But McCain says the economy is "strong" so we should be fine!
Obama's tax increase (for the top 1% of earners) will generate an extra $181 billion. We will still be in debt but we'll be able to pay it off faster. Plus, hopefully he'll follow Bill Clinton's spending record. He's no messiah to the problem though.
Here's a recent article on the topic:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26689925
The current republican party has been hijacked by social conservatives and the religious right. It is no longer a party of fiscal conservatives and this is a clear example why religion and politics should not mix. Republican voters missed their chance by not nominating Ron Paul, a true fiscal conservative with a record and political philosophy to back it up. Read about his mission here http://www.campaignforliberty.com/mission/ People think he's nuts but he's predicted our current financial crisis.
So are the terrorists still our greatest threat? I think if anything they've gotten exactly what they wanted. To watch us slowly bleed a financial death in a war that can never be won. Stay informed, vote smart, we're going to need it.
Friday, August 8, 2008
Inflate your tires
I've been trying to stay out of the political race. I already know who I'm going to vote for so there's no use in being further ill-informed by the joke that is mass media.
However, I heard about McCain bashing Obama for his statement that we could save fuel by properly inflating our tires. Yes, this wouldn't make much of a difference but its not the only fucking thing he suggested. It is a step towards a positive way of living and bashing statements like that is extremely ignorant and represents everything wrong in this country.
We need to build plug-in hybrids and use more wind/solar. Yes, offshore drilling will help our problem temporarily but we'll eventually be in the same boat again. We need the oil crisis. We need a shock to our system that makes everyone say, "Hey, why the fuck am I driving this huge gas guzzling SUV that I don't need when I could drive a smaller car for half the cost?" As soon as someone has that thought, they start thinking about the other wasteful things they do. I've been hearing a lot about plastic bag bans all over the world, more people are riding bikes, more people are exploring their local communities and buying local produce, more people are buying smaller homes that are closer to work. Do you think most people would care about this stuff if oil/gas was cheap again? The economy is the driving force in changing people's minds. I say make gas more expensive. Remove the oil subsidies (that we're paying in taxes!) and uncover the true cost that we're paying at the pump. Without oil subsidies, gas would be $10 a gallon. Take them away, give us our tax money back, then we can let the free market decide what kind of cars should be produced.
We've been going down the wrong path. The only thing we can do is head back (no matter how painful it is) and take the turn we should have taken in the beginning.
However, I heard about McCain bashing Obama for his statement that we could save fuel by properly inflating our tires. Yes, this wouldn't make much of a difference but its not the only fucking thing he suggested. It is a step towards a positive way of living and bashing statements like that is extremely ignorant and represents everything wrong in this country.
We need to build plug-in hybrids and use more wind/solar. Yes, offshore drilling will help our problem temporarily but we'll eventually be in the same boat again. We need the oil crisis. We need a shock to our system that makes everyone say, "Hey, why the fuck am I driving this huge gas guzzling SUV that I don't need when I could drive a smaller car for half the cost?" As soon as someone has that thought, they start thinking about the other wasteful things they do. I've been hearing a lot about plastic bag bans all over the world, more people are riding bikes, more people are exploring their local communities and buying local produce, more people are buying smaller homes that are closer to work. Do you think most people would care about this stuff if oil/gas was cheap again? The economy is the driving force in changing people's minds. I say make gas more expensive. Remove the oil subsidies (that we're paying in taxes!) and uncover the true cost that we're paying at the pump. Without oil subsidies, gas would be $10 a gallon. Take them away, give us our tax money back, then we can let the free market decide what kind of cars should be produced.
We've been going down the wrong path. The only thing we can do is head back (no matter how painful it is) and take the turn we should have taken in the beginning.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
short post about nothing important
I'm going to start writing some short posts. I'm not going to think before I write them. I'm just going to pump out ideas from my head...unfiltered...raw...here it goes.
Why are so many scientific studies/beliefs/political ideas are conflicting?...here's my explanation:
You can almost choose any input and show that it has an effect on the output of something.
if:
((x*y+z)/(a*b*c)^2)*n=ANSWER
you can take out or change x, y, z, a, b, c, n or a combination of all of these and get a different answer.
Whether you're arguing that x or y affects the "ANSWER", both can be right.
Its hard for science or humans at all to look at the big picture and study things in their natural and/or present day environment...science always has to break things down.
So why does this matter? No one knows the truth. No one knows all of the inputs in an equation. So my advice...don't believe anything.
Why are so many scientific studies/beliefs/political ideas are conflicting?...here's my explanation:
You can almost choose any input and show that it has an effect on the output of something.
if:
((x*y+z)/(a*b*c)^2)*n=ANSWER
you can take out or change x, y, z, a, b, c, n or a combination of all of these and get a different answer.
Whether you're arguing that x or y affects the "ANSWER", both can be right.
Its hard for science or humans at all to look at the big picture and study things in their natural and/or present day environment...science always has to break things down.
So why does this matter? No one knows the truth. No one knows all of the inputs in an equation. So my advice...don't believe anything.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
a few more days!
Sorry I haven't posted. I've been busy studying (more like distracting myself from studying). I promise I will write something next week.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
creation
art!
Most people don't know this about me but I used to really love sketching as a kid. I would sit up in my room and draw for hours. In junior high, I was in the advanced art class. I haven't really drawn much since high school so I figured I'd give a self portrait a shot.
Yes, I know drawing a self portrait with my shirt off seems narcissistic...but its seriously 100 degrees in my house right now! Well, I'm kinda rusty and I don't have the steadiest hands but considering I was sketching with a pen, wasn't too bad. I'm going to try to sketch more. I'll post more pics if I do. I'll also try to post some drawings that I did when I was younger too...some are an interesting view into my warped mind.
garden!
Also, since I'm on the topic of posting pics...figured I'd give an update on my garden. Tomatoes are growing!!!
...and here are the sweet peppers and cucumbers (no veggies on the plants yet~_~)
Most people don't know this about me but I used to really love sketching as a kid. I would sit up in my room and draw for hours. In junior high, I was in the advanced art class. I haven't really drawn much since high school so I figured I'd give a self portrait a shot.
Yes, I know drawing a self portrait with my shirt off seems narcissistic...but its seriously 100 degrees in my house right now! Well, I'm kinda rusty and I don't have the steadiest hands but considering I was sketching with a pen, wasn't too bad. I'm going to try to sketch more. I'll post more pics if I do. I'll also try to post some drawings that I did when I was younger too...some are an interesting view into my warped mind.
garden!
Also, since I'm on the topic of posting pics...figured I'd give an update on my garden. Tomatoes are growing!!!
...and here are the sweet peppers and cucumbers (no veggies on the plants yet~_~)
Thursday, July 3, 2008
My Ghost Theory
I have never seen a ghost nor am I 100% convinced that they are real. I believe it is one of humanity's ultimate desires to exist eternally and because of this belief, I remain a little skeptical that ghosts really walk amongst us. Believing in or "seeing" ghosts satisfies our mind's yearning to exist forever. So if we don't walk among the living after we die, I have a theory could explain why people see "ghosts".
I am almost convinced that there are more than 4 dimensions (3 space & 1 time). String Theory is based on 11 dimensions. Through parallel universes it is thought that we can travel through time, teleport, exist in two places at once and visit alternate versions of our own reality. Scientists have been able to teleport atoms and prove that they can exist in two places at once. With the force of a black hole, just like space, time is altered. This is why some believe black holes can be used as a means to travel matter through time. However, the force of a black hole would rip us apart.
Most ghost sightings occur in areas of abnormal magnetic fields. What if these magnetic fields alter another parallel time dimension to "bleed" into our own? Maybe the ghosts that we see are actually real people living in an alternate dimension. Then why do we only see "ghosts" in the past and not the future? Maybe its only a one-way thing like in thermodynamics, heat only moves from warmer to cooler areas. We have little understanding of the complexities of time so it's possible that time alterations could only move from past to future. Or maybe aliens are actually "future ghosts"?
It's also strange how most ghost sightings I've heard of are of the recent past. One would think that you would see cavemen ghosts also. An explanation that kind of fits with my theory is that the parallel time dimension is "stretched" into our own through the force of the magnetic field. Maybe the magnetic field does not have enough energy to stretch the other time dimension past a certain amount of years.
How come ghost sightings are always of people? Well sometimes its spirits and demonic entities. But why are there never dog and cat ghosts? Or at least I haven't heard of any. Also, if my theory has any truth to it, wouldn't an alternate dimension also transport non-living objects as well, such as, a chair, bicycle or even a whole house or a mountain range? Hmm...what if the human soul has significance and some kind of relationship with these time dimensions that others do not. Maybe since we understand time and perceive we are able to better travel through it. But why then do the "ghosts" clothes come with them into this dimension? Clothes are just as much a part of us as the other inanimate objects we encounter on a daily basis. Even if we can exist as real ghosts after we die, why would our clothes still be with us? I asked these same questions about superheros...how do their clothes always make it through the destructive forces that their bodies can handle?
Let me know your thoughts...
I am almost convinced that there are more than 4 dimensions (3 space & 1 time). String Theory is based on 11 dimensions. Through parallel universes it is thought that we can travel through time, teleport, exist in two places at once and visit alternate versions of our own reality. Scientists have been able to teleport atoms and prove that they can exist in two places at once. With the force of a black hole, just like space, time is altered. This is why some believe black holes can be used as a means to travel matter through time. However, the force of a black hole would rip us apart.
Most ghost sightings occur in areas of abnormal magnetic fields. What if these magnetic fields alter another parallel time dimension to "bleed" into our own? Maybe the ghosts that we see are actually real people living in an alternate dimension. Then why do we only see "ghosts" in the past and not the future? Maybe its only a one-way thing like in thermodynamics, heat only moves from warmer to cooler areas. We have little understanding of the complexities of time so it's possible that time alterations could only move from past to future. Or maybe aliens are actually "future ghosts"?
It's also strange how most ghost sightings I've heard of are of the recent past. One would think that you would see cavemen ghosts also. An explanation that kind of fits with my theory is that the parallel time dimension is "stretched" into our own through the force of the magnetic field. Maybe the magnetic field does not have enough energy to stretch the other time dimension past a certain amount of years.
How come ghost sightings are always of people? Well sometimes its spirits and demonic entities. But why are there never dog and cat ghosts? Or at least I haven't heard of any. Also, if my theory has any truth to it, wouldn't an alternate dimension also transport non-living objects as well, such as, a chair, bicycle or even a whole house or a mountain range? Hmm...what if the human soul has significance and some kind of relationship with these time dimensions that others do not. Maybe since we understand time and perceive we are able to better travel through it. But why then do the "ghosts" clothes come with them into this dimension? Clothes are just as much a part of us as the other inanimate objects we encounter on a daily basis. Even if we can exist as real ghosts after we die, why would our clothes still be with us? I asked these same questions about superheros...how do their clothes always make it through the destructive forces that their bodies can handle?
Let me know your thoughts...
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
inspiration
We all want to be inspired. The happiness that comes from inspiration gives us a reason to live. Whether it be seeing the beauty in nature's intricate design of a snowflake or the experiencing the vast expansiveness of the earth from above. When we see and experience beautiful things, our neurons fire and our mind is stimulated. Stimulation is what tells us we are alive.
There are many things in life that provide stimulation and there are many paths to follow to get that feeling that we as humans desire. There are the essentials. Food and shelter. There are also the materialistic things that we crave to satisfy our stimulation needs. However, these materialistic things come with a cost and force us to trade it for time and money. But there is more that we desire. Yes we need stimulation but its best to have in small doses and moderation. I believe that it is not until we realize that we can experience things that are free and simple (human relationships, nature, birth and even death...or at least accept it), that we are truly happy and alive. Yes human relationships can be simple. All you need is to be honest and willing to help others.
I think about these things but only in certain environments. Not when I'm rushing to get to school on time. Not when I'm busy at work. Not when I'm in a bad mood or stressed out. It's not until I simplify my life that I can think like this. Turn all of the lights off and have a conversation with someone or just think to yourself, it will most likely be deep and meaningful, perhaps even life-changing. Remember sitting around a campfire with friends? Sleepovers once everyone is huddled in their sleeping bags? Darkness forces the mind to think and when we combine these pure thoughts with others...it is a powerful thing.
There are many things in life that provide stimulation and there are many paths to follow to get that feeling that we as humans desire. There are the essentials. Food and shelter. There are also the materialistic things that we crave to satisfy our stimulation needs. However, these materialistic things come with a cost and force us to trade it for time and money. But there is more that we desire. Yes we need stimulation but its best to have in small doses and moderation. I believe that it is not until we realize that we can experience things that are free and simple (human relationships, nature, birth and even death...or at least accept it), that we are truly happy and alive. Yes human relationships can be simple. All you need is to be honest and willing to help others.
I think about these things but only in certain environments. Not when I'm rushing to get to school on time. Not when I'm busy at work. Not when I'm in a bad mood or stressed out. It's not until I simplify my life that I can think like this. Turn all of the lights off and have a conversation with someone or just think to yourself, it will most likely be deep and meaningful, perhaps even life-changing. Remember sitting around a campfire with friends? Sleepovers once everyone is huddled in their sleeping bags? Darkness forces the mind to think and when we combine these pure thoughts with others...it is a powerful thing.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Climate Confusion...another book review
Who would have guess it? I am now very skeptical that global warming our planet is experiencing is occurring because of the amount of greenhouse gases we put in the atmosphere.
Back in college, I was a meteorology major for my first year. Our professors, one in particular, warned us that the CO2 we are putting into the atmosphere will warm the Earth and eventually cause global problems by warming the earth by only a few degrees. Also, during the past 6 or 7 years I have heard a lot of news about scientists, politicians and countries all over the world warning of the coming doomsday. Is this an agenda of the "New World Order" for more global govermental control? Or is it a way to make money off of scared people? Or is everyone just misinformed? It's probably a combination of all three.
Well, yes the earth is warming but is it because of human activity? Nobody knows for certain. Even the author isn't 100% sure it is not. It is however necessary to debate the topic given the risk of negligence if the problem does happen to be from man-made activities.
The book, Climate Confusion by Roy W. Spencer, makes some good points. The first one really convinced me that global warming is not from man-made CO2 or Methane.
Point #1: The amount of CO2 in the atmosphere is only 0.038% (about 0.027% pre-industrial), which is about 380 molecules for every 1,000,000 molecules in the atmosphere. Other greenhouse gases such as Methane are even lower. Since CO2 is such a small percentage of our atmosphere, the author argues that it can't have much effect. I agree. Water Vapor is the most potent greenhouse gas and is a lot more prevalent in the atmosphere. It's funny, you don't see scientists thinking of ways to reduce the water vapor in the air...without it, there would be no rain; )
Point #2: Many scientists now can easily receive funding (stay employed) by researching man-made global warming. If you are a scientist skeptical of man-made global warming, you are ostracized and can find little funding.
Point #3: Sometimes trying to help a problem will create another problem. For example: The banning of DDT is responsible for up to a million deaths a year in Africa. DDT can be used to combat malaria.
Point #4: Future predictions are based on models. The climate is extremely complex and modeling this system accurately is a difficult task. Look at how often weather reports are wrong when only predicting into the next week.
Point #5: Rising numbers of reports and devastation from storms could be due to increased population. More people live in the midwest, therefore, there is more probability that a tornado will be reported. More people live on the coasts, therefore, more devastation and lives will be lost to flooding and hurricanes.
I was always a little skeptical of man-made global warming but now I'm just a little more convinced that it's just hype. Scaring people makes money. Whether its about the climate or about terrorism.
Overall, it was a good book. The author definitely has a bias and I believe puts a little too much faith that economics will solve our problems but I recommend you read it to gain a different perspective.
So what do I believe now? I'm not sure. The earth is warming. Many of the skeptics claim this is because the sun is sending more radiation to us due to a normal period of heightened activity. However, I'm not sure I believe that considering that the sun's radiation is in a decreasing period yet we're still warming. We should not rule out the fact that other man-made activities could be attributing to the warming we are seeing. Could expanding cities (urban heat island) and deforestation be having an affect? I still think the Earth and its species are vulnerable to human activities. What we are doing is not natural, therefore, it can have an effect on something whether it is on a local or global scale. I have breathed and seen the pollution in China. There are always consequences to our actions.
I still consider myself an aspiring environmentalist. It has never been a global warming issue for me. My reasons for wanting to protect the environment are mainly due to localized pollution problems (air quality, water pollution, etc) and for economic reasons due to the depletion of non-renewable resources. I believe that sustainable/renewable energy and products are necessary to keep our economy stable. I also believe that living with less will preserve our resources, allow us to be more efficient and let us lead happier lives. Our wasteful and over consuming nature does not lead to an ideal society.
Back in college, I was a meteorology major for my first year. Our professors, one in particular, warned us that the CO2 we are putting into the atmosphere will warm the Earth and eventually cause global problems by warming the earth by only a few degrees. Also, during the past 6 or 7 years I have heard a lot of news about scientists, politicians and countries all over the world warning of the coming doomsday. Is this an agenda of the "New World Order" for more global govermental control? Or is it a way to make money off of scared people? Or is everyone just misinformed? It's probably a combination of all three.
Well, yes the earth is warming but is it because of human activity? Nobody knows for certain. Even the author isn't 100% sure it is not. It is however necessary to debate the topic given the risk of negligence if the problem does happen to be from man-made activities.
The book, Climate Confusion by Roy W. Spencer, makes some good points. The first one really convinced me that global warming is not from man-made CO2 or Methane.
Point #1: The amount of CO2 in the atmosphere is only 0.038% (about 0.027% pre-industrial), which is about 380 molecules for every 1,000,000 molecules in the atmosphere. Other greenhouse gases such as Methane are even lower. Since CO2 is such a small percentage of our atmosphere, the author argues that it can't have much effect. I agree. Water Vapor is the most potent greenhouse gas and is a lot more prevalent in the atmosphere. It's funny, you don't see scientists thinking of ways to reduce the water vapor in the air...without it, there would be no rain; )
Point #2: Many scientists now can easily receive funding (stay employed) by researching man-made global warming. If you are a scientist skeptical of man-made global warming, you are ostracized and can find little funding.
Point #3: Sometimes trying to help a problem will create another problem. For example: The banning of DDT is responsible for up to a million deaths a year in Africa. DDT can be used to combat malaria.
Point #4: Future predictions are based on models. The climate is extremely complex and modeling this system accurately is a difficult task. Look at how often weather reports are wrong when only predicting into the next week.
Point #5: Rising numbers of reports and devastation from storms could be due to increased population. More people live in the midwest, therefore, there is more probability that a tornado will be reported. More people live on the coasts, therefore, more devastation and lives will be lost to flooding and hurricanes.
I was always a little skeptical of man-made global warming but now I'm just a little more convinced that it's just hype. Scaring people makes money. Whether its about the climate or about terrorism.
Overall, it was a good book. The author definitely has a bias and I believe puts a little too much faith that economics will solve our problems but I recommend you read it to gain a different perspective.
So what do I believe now? I'm not sure. The earth is warming. Many of the skeptics claim this is because the sun is sending more radiation to us due to a normal period of heightened activity. However, I'm not sure I believe that considering that the sun's radiation is in a decreasing period yet we're still warming. We should not rule out the fact that other man-made activities could be attributing to the warming we are seeing. Could expanding cities (urban heat island) and deforestation be having an affect? I still think the Earth and its species are vulnerable to human activities. What we are doing is not natural, therefore, it can have an effect on something whether it is on a local or global scale. I have breathed and seen the pollution in China. There are always consequences to our actions.
I still consider myself an aspiring environmentalist. It has never been a global warming issue for me. My reasons for wanting to protect the environment are mainly due to localized pollution problems (air quality, water pollution, etc) and for economic reasons due to the depletion of non-renewable resources. I believe that sustainable/renewable energy and products are necessary to keep our economy stable. I also believe that living with less will preserve our resources, allow us to be more efficient and let us lead happier lives. Our wasteful and over consuming nature does not lead to an ideal society.
Monday, June 2, 2008
I want to save the trees and they want me dead
Ever wonder how close you come to dying in a given day? What if you missed a deadly car crash just because you couldn't find your keys when you left your house? Anything is possible and different decisions or external forces can be the deciding factor whether you live or die.
I had a couple minor incidents happen to me this past weekend that really got me to thinking about this stuff. Coincidentally, they both involved trees. I was at a friend's house sitting by a bonfire on Saturday night and a huge branch fell from a tree. It was about 15 feet behind me and would have seriously hurt or could have even killed me. Funny thing was, I didn't even flinch. The next day, me and the same two friends went for a hike out in what we thought was the Conestoga Trail near Lancaster, PA. During our hike through the woods, a storm rolled through. We kept walking and came to a campground and decided to turn around. Once we reach the spot we were at 5 minutes before, we saw large, sharp wooden shards all over the trail. About 15 feet away we saw a tree that had a fresh lightning strike on it.
The slightest delay in our hike could have led to us getting impaled by flying shards of wood or even struck by lightning.
My weekend brushes with death have not scared me or deterred me from doing the things I love. If anything, it has helped me realize that anything can cause your demise and you have to live it up while you still have time!
I probably won't post for a couple weeks. School just started so I have a good amount of homework. Also, I'm officiating the wedding of two good friends and going to Niagra Falls this weekend.
Take care and watch out for the trees...
I had a couple minor incidents happen to me this past weekend that really got me to thinking about this stuff. Coincidentally, they both involved trees. I was at a friend's house sitting by a bonfire on Saturday night and a huge branch fell from a tree. It was about 15 feet behind me and would have seriously hurt or could have even killed me. Funny thing was, I didn't even flinch. The next day, me and the same two friends went for a hike out in what we thought was the Conestoga Trail near Lancaster, PA. During our hike through the woods, a storm rolled through. We kept walking and came to a campground and decided to turn around. Once we reach the spot we were at 5 minutes before, we saw large, sharp wooden shards all over the trail. About 15 feet away we saw a tree that had a fresh lightning strike on it.
The slightest delay in our hike could have led to us getting impaled by flying shards of wood or even struck by lightning.
My weekend brushes with death have not scared me or deterred me from doing the things I love. If anything, it has helped me realize that anything can cause your demise and you have to live it up while you still have time!
I probably won't post for a couple weeks. School just started so I have a good amount of homework. Also, I'm officiating the wedding of two good friends and going to Niagra Falls this weekend.
Take care and watch out for the trees...
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
I have a set a threshold
45 minutes. That is the amount of time I will now wait for someone before going home.
I spent an hour driving to a park on memorial day, my day off of work, only to sit under a tree with no phone reception for an hour and a half and then drive another hour home because no one showed up. I was also intentionally 30 minutes late because I knew everyone else would also be late. Don't get me wrong, I like hanging out with my friends but a lot of them have a complete disrespect for time. I understand that its hard to estimate arrival times and things come up. It's difficult for me to arrive on time especially since I live far away from most things, but I think anything over 45 minutes without a good reason for being late is unacceptable.
It's simple. If you value my friendship, you should value my time. Don't value my time? I will place less value on our friendship.
This post was a little more personal than I want this blog to be but I need to get it out. I would have also contacted everyone personally of my decision but I'd rather not spend the TIME right now: )
I spent an hour driving to a park on memorial day, my day off of work, only to sit under a tree with no phone reception for an hour and a half and then drive another hour home because no one showed up. I was also intentionally 30 minutes late because I knew everyone else would also be late. Don't get me wrong, I like hanging out with my friends but a lot of them have a complete disrespect for time. I understand that its hard to estimate arrival times and things come up. It's difficult for me to arrive on time especially since I live far away from most things, but I think anything over 45 minutes without a good reason for being late is unacceptable.
It's simple. If you value my friendship, you should value my time. Don't value my time? I will place less value on our friendship.
This post was a little more personal than I want this blog to be but I need to get it out. I would have also contacted everyone personally of my decision but I'd rather not spend the TIME right now: )
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
In Defense of Food...a book review
I just finished reading a good book that my good friend Charlie had me read. It's called In Defense of Food. It's definitely a must read if you care about your health and what you eat. Even if you think you're eating healthy, it may not always be the case...
The book follows a basic idea. "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants". The author backs up this idea mostly with common sense. When he says "Eat food", food is considered to be anything edible in its natural form, nothing processed. He argues that "food" is what we've evolved to eat, not something that comes in a box and includes 30 different ingredients. Lately, most grocery stores sell very little "food". Even if you're buying something that you think is healthy because it includes essential vitamins & minerals, omega-3 fatty acids, etc...these nutrients are not being digested by your body as well as it would in real "food".
Much of the real "food" has been pushed out of supermarkets in the last 40 to 50 years. Even fruits and vegetables sold today are grown in industrialized soil and contain about 1/3 of the nutrients of a fruit/vegetable grown in organic soil. Also the animals that feed on industrialized grain diet lack these nutrients as well. The author believes that this is a good reason for the kind of obesity we see with the western diet. Since much of the food we eat is lacking in nutrients, our bodies tell us to eat more of it. Cultures who do not follow the western diet have much lower rates of chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes and heart disease.
One interesting part of the book talks about a group of Aborigines that developed diabetes from eating the western diet. This group agreed to participate in an experiment in which they reverted back to their non-western diet. After only 7 weeks on a new diet, their diabetes symptoms were either completely gone or significantly lower.
I strongly recommend that you read this book. There are tons of tips on how to eat healthier. And my review pales in comparison to the knowledge that you'll gain from reading it. I was so motivated by this book that I spent a couple hours today planting a vegetable garden. So I will soon be able to eat tomatoes, cucumbers and sweet peppers that I grew myself!
The book follows a basic idea. "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants". The author backs up this idea mostly with common sense. When he says "Eat food", food is considered to be anything edible in its natural form, nothing processed. He argues that "food" is what we've evolved to eat, not something that comes in a box and includes 30 different ingredients. Lately, most grocery stores sell very little "food". Even if you're buying something that you think is healthy because it includes essential vitamins & minerals, omega-3 fatty acids, etc...these nutrients are not being digested by your body as well as it would in real "food".
Much of the real "food" has been pushed out of supermarkets in the last 40 to 50 years. Even fruits and vegetables sold today are grown in industrialized soil and contain about 1/3 of the nutrients of a fruit/vegetable grown in organic soil. Also the animals that feed on industrialized grain diet lack these nutrients as well. The author believes that this is a good reason for the kind of obesity we see with the western diet. Since much of the food we eat is lacking in nutrients, our bodies tell us to eat more of it. Cultures who do not follow the western diet have much lower rates of chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes and heart disease.
One interesting part of the book talks about a group of Aborigines that developed diabetes from eating the western diet. This group agreed to participate in an experiment in which they reverted back to their non-western diet. After only 7 weeks on a new diet, their diabetes symptoms were either completely gone or significantly lower.
I strongly recommend that you read this book. There are tons of tips on how to eat healthier. And my review pales in comparison to the knowledge that you'll gain from reading it. I was so motivated by this book that I spent a couple hours today planting a vegetable garden. So I will soon be able to eat tomatoes, cucumbers and sweet peppers that I grew myself!
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Not Showing Off...Not Falling Behind
A huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders. Literally. I'm carrying no school books in my bag to work. Ahh...feels good. Anyway, so I guess I should post something.
I used to think that the harder you try, the more you get out of life. I don't think that's necessarily always the case. If you're good at something, there will always be someone else trying to leech off of your hard work. The gnats will always be most attracted to the sweetest fruits...
When I started my professional career, my boss and coworkers kept repeating the phrase "Not showing off, not falling behind". At the time I thought it was a little ridiculous but it'll be 5 years since I've been with my company and I am now a firm believer in the phrase. I spent the first half of my career busting my ass and trying to show off. My reward for this behavior was more work. I get the logic, if you're efficient at something, why not maximize the amount of work you do? Well, this logic is flawed because just like a sweet piece of fruit, you will attract all of the gnats until your body lay eaten and useless. Managers don't realize that maximizing their workers too much will eventually lead to demotivation from feeling overwhelmed and from not receiving reciprocal benefits. So before I ended up a devoured pit of a peach, I decided to tone my skills down. Now because of my decision to slack off, I'm less stressed and able to focus on just a few projects at a time. It seems like everyone else follows suit as well. If I need a column added to a database view, it takes a month. This is a task that literally takes 2 minutes but I know the "developers" on the other end are in the same boat as me so I understand. Sure there are the necessary hoops and red tape to go through but still a month seems crazy for this kind of change. But I don't stress. I just tell everyone a project is on hold until that change is made. I wonder how much money businesses would save if they actually valued their efficient people and didn't try to "maximize" the output of their skills. Whatever happened to quality not quantity?
Well it seems like my slacking off has paid off. I received an award yesterday and will get a check for $300 for the 5 minutes of work I did on a project. Granted this was a team award and it wouldn't be right for me to not be included but I doubt I would have received an award like this if I really did fully exemplify "excellence". In conclusion, don't show off in life. I guess Office Space is a very sad reality.
I used to think that the harder you try, the more you get out of life. I don't think that's necessarily always the case. If you're good at something, there will always be someone else trying to leech off of your hard work. The gnats will always be most attracted to the sweetest fruits...
When I started my professional career, my boss and coworkers kept repeating the phrase "Not showing off, not falling behind". At the time I thought it was a little ridiculous but it'll be 5 years since I've been with my company and I am now a firm believer in the phrase. I spent the first half of my career busting my ass and trying to show off. My reward for this behavior was more work. I get the logic, if you're efficient at something, why not maximize the amount of work you do? Well, this logic is flawed because just like a sweet piece of fruit, you will attract all of the gnats until your body lay eaten and useless. Managers don't realize that maximizing their workers too much will eventually lead to demotivation from feeling overwhelmed and from not receiving reciprocal benefits. So before I ended up a devoured pit of a peach, I decided to tone my skills down. Now because of my decision to slack off, I'm less stressed and able to focus on just a few projects at a time. It seems like everyone else follows suit as well. If I need a column added to a database view, it takes a month. This is a task that literally takes 2 minutes but I know the "developers" on the other end are in the same boat as me so I understand. Sure there are the necessary hoops and red tape to go through but still a month seems crazy for this kind of change. But I don't stress. I just tell everyone a project is on hold until that change is made. I wonder how much money businesses would save if they actually valued their efficient people and didn't try to "maximize" the output of their skills. Whatever happened to quality not quantity?
Well it seems like my slacking off has paid off. I received an award yesterday and will get a check for $300 for the 5 minutes of work I did on a project. Granted this was a team award and it wouldn't be right for me to not be included but I doubt I would have received an award like this if I really did fully exemplify "excellence". In conclusion, don't show off in life. I guess Office Space is a very sad reality.
Monday, April 28, 2008
I'm a slacker!
I know I haven't posted in a few days and I just started. I have finals next week so I'll definitely post more after that's finished.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
I don't want to be right
My fellow Americans,
Remember when we were young and thought that everything was free because there was no such thing as money? We all rolled around in our parents shopping carts and watched them grab various items off of the shelves. It was almost like a new box of Corn Pops would magically appear for the next customer. I thought this was how everyone lived and how things always were. It's great to be ignorant. No wonder so many people choose that path.
So there is a new shortage. Unlike oil, we actually need this finite resource to survive. Unless you haven't been to a grocery store in the past couple years, you should notice that the cost of food has gone up. Like the shortage, this is due to skyrocketing global demand. I have been warning people that this was going to happen and I will warn you now that it will get a lot worse. When more people want something, it costs more to get it.
So how did we get here? Simple. Globalization. Companies wanted to manufacture their goods cheaper so they moved manufacturing plants to countries like China. Some see this as a good thing, some don't. Sure, this took away jobs from Americans but it created jobs for the extremely poor in other countries. Whether, it was right or wrong, it's really a matter for another discussion. The point I'm trying to get at is that we were creating income and the beginnings of fruitful economies in these countries. Then we realized that we can not only have these countries produce our goods but also consume them as well. So all was well. More consumers=good economy. Yay! But little did we know, more consumers also meant a longer line at the grocery store. Now it is estimated that 200 million Chinese will enter middle class by the year 2020. This is equivalent to the present day size of the US middle class. And it's not just China...there are plenty of other countries that will have smaller but significant growth. But who can blame them? They all just want to live, eat and drive like us. I hate George Bush just as much as the next guy but its completely ignorant to blame him for the rise in fuel prices. You also can't blame oil companies. Simple economics always yields higher profits for increasing demand.
How do we solve this problem? Also very simple but implementing the plan is near impossible for it requires drastic lifestyle changes. We still have it pretty good here in the US but it will take some dire conditions for people to really start to change. So here's my plan that will never happen:
Vegetarian (Mostly vegan) diet
We feed livestock.This is a huge waste of food, land and energy. An acre of land can grow enough soy to feed 60 people. An acre of land will grow enough grain to feed 2 cows. People need this food more than livestock do. Those animals should have stayed in the wild.
"Nothing will benefit human health and increase chances of survival for life on earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet." ~Albert Einstein
Smaller Homes/Self-Sustainability
If our homes are small and powered by the sun/wind and we had greenhouses to grow our own food, what would be the point of working 40 hours a week? By purchasing homes that are way too big than what we need and enslaving ourselves with the debt of a large mortgage and never ending grocery and utility bills, we place ourselves in the mercy of volatile markets.
Less is More
We need to stop buying things we don't need. I believe that the more people fill their lives with material possessions, the more unhappy they become. I wish I would have realized this sooner. I'm still in the recovering stage...I keep eyeing up the PS3...must...not...give...in.
No more Biofuels! Well...some is allowed
I'm for free energy, not alternative energy. As soon as I heard they were producing ethanol from corn, I felt sick to my stomach. What a horrible idea. So when did fuel become more important than food??? Does no one follow simple economics??? If we use corn to produce fuel, this increases demand, which will increase prices. There's effing corn syrup in everything! It's only good if you're using the waste from the food crops, not the actual food itself.
In Conclusion...
Maybe we were not so ignorant as small children? Call me crazy but I think it may be the destiny of the human race to create a sustainable economy where there is no money or starvation. This reality existed to us as children in the grocery store, why can't we live like that as adults? I think deep down its what we truly want for ourselves as a species. We should all be able to collect free energy and grow our own food. I hope we can all realize that we basically have the technology to do this...we just need the will power to live with less. Join me or not...I'm slowly moving towards that lifestyle.
Remember when we were young and thought that everything was free because there was no such thing as money? We all rolled around in our parents shopping carts and watched them grab various items off of the shelves. It was almost like a new box of Corn Pops would magically appear for the next customer. I thought this was how everyone lived and how things always were. It's great to be ignorant. No wonder so many people choose that path.
So there is a new shortage. Unlike oil, we actually need this finite resource to survive. Unless you haven't been to a grocery store in the past couple years, you should notice that the cost of food has gone up. Like the shortage, this is due to skyrocketing global demand. I have been warning people that this was going to happen and I will warn you now that it will get a lot worse. When more people want something, it costs more to get it.
So how did we get here? Simple. Globalization. Companies wanted to manufacture their goods cheaper so they moved manufacturing plants to countries like China. Some see this as a good thing, some don't. Sure, this took away jobs from Americans but it created jobs for the extremely poor in other countries. Whether, it was right or wrong, it's really a matter for another discussion. The point I'm trying to get at is that we were creating income and the beginnings of fruitful economies in these countries. Then we realized that we can not only have these countries produce our goods but also consume them as well. So all was well. More consumers=good economy. Yay! But little did we know, more consumers also meant a longer line at the grocery store. Now it is estimated that 200 million Chinese will enter middle class by the year 2020. This is equivalent to the present day size of the US middle class. And it's not just China...there are plenty of other countries that will have smaller but significant growth. But who can blame them? They all just want to live, eat and drive like us. I hate George Bush just as much as the next guy but its completely ignorant to blame him for the rise in fuel prices. You also can't blame oil companies. Simple economics always yields higher profits for increasing demand.
How do we solve this problem? Also very simple but implementing the plan is near impossible for it requires drastic lifestyle changes. We still have it pretty good here in the US but it will take some dire conditions for people to really start to change. So here's my plan that will never happen:
Vegetarian (Mostly vegan) diet
We feed livestock.This is a huge waste of food, land and energy. An acre of land can grow enough soy to feed 60 people. An acre of land will grow enough grain to feed 2 cows. People need this food more than livestock do. Those animals should have stayed in the wild.
"Nothing will benefit human health and increase chances of survival for life on earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet." ~Albert Einstein
Smaller Homes/Self-Sustainability
If our homes are small and powered by the sun/wind and we had greenhouses to grow our own food, what would be the point of working 40 hours a week? By purchasing homes that are way too big than what we need and enslaving ourselves with the debt of a large mortgage and never ending grocery and utility bills, we place ourselves in the mercy of volatile markets.
Less is More
We need to stop buying things we don't need. I believe that the more people fill their lives with material possessions, the more unhappy they become. I wish I would have realized this sooner. I'm still in the recovering stage...I keep eyeing up the PS3...must...not...give...in.
No more Biofuels! Well...some is allowed
I'm for free energy, not alternative energy. As soon as I heard they were producing ethanol from corn, I felt sick to my stomach. What a horrible idea. So when did fuel become more important than food??? Does no one follow simple economics??? If we use corn to produce fuel, this increases demand, which will increase prices. There's effing corn syrup in everything! It's only good if you're using the waste from the food crops, not the actual food itself.
In Conclusion...
Maybe we were not so ignorant as small children? Call me crazy but I think it may be the destiny of the human race to create a sustainable economy where there is no money or starvation. This reality existed to us as children in the grocery store, why can't we live like that as adults? I think deep down its what we truly want for ourselves as a species. We should all be able to collect free energy and grow our own food. I hope we can all realize that we basically have the technology to do this...we just need the will power to live with less. Join me or not...I'm slowly moving towards that lifestyle.
hello world
So I've decide to join the masses and create a blog. Well actually I started doing this like 7 years ago with livejournal but now with the "hype" it's called a "blog". I still don't see the difference.
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